The present invention relates to a cleaning system for cleaning fluid-conducting tubing. The invention is particularly useful in a condenser for cleaning the tubing of the heat-exchanger used in such a condenser, and the invention is therefore described below with respect to this application.
One of the known ways of cleaning the tubing of a condenser is by circulating through the tubing rubber balls which are slightly larger in diameter than the tubing so that they are compressed as they travel the length of the tubing. The constant rubbing action of the balls against the inner sides of the tubing keeps the tubing walls clean and free from deposits. Generally, the balls are circulated with the fluid through the tubing from its upstream side to its downstream side and are separated at the downstream side of the tubing, from where they are recirculated back to the upstreamside of the tubing by a continuously-driven pump. Examples of the known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,795,348, 2,801,824, 3,021,117, 3,872,920, 4,234,993, 4,350,202, 4,420,038 and 4,556,102. We have found, however, that in such recirculation means the continuously-driven pump is very troublesome and is highly susceptible to malfunctioning, and therefore such systems usually require considerable down-time for maintenance and repair purposes.